Artistically Speaking
by Lizzie9
Summary: So she kissed Seth Cohen. No big deal. Summer figures she'll just avoid him until he forgets all about it. That way she can avoid her growing feelings for him. Simple, until they both wind up on the same cruise ship where Summer learns you cant run foreve
1. The Art Of Beginnings

Title: Artistically Speaking

Chapter Title: The Art Of Beginnings  
  
Author: Sara and Lizzie  
  
Disclaimer: The O.C? Very much not ours.   
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: After Seth and Summer kissed at Caleb's party, the Cohens decide to take Jimmy and Marissa on a cruise through the Caribbean Islands. Seth doesn't even want to go until Marissa invites Summer.....

"Somebody ought try to make you like the way you feel when they're under your skin." -Matchbox Twenty

"Mom." Seth Cohen whined. "Why are we doing this? A cruise?"

"We've never taken a cruise Seth. It's going to be fun." Kristen was trying to be sympathetic, but Seth was difficult when he got whiny.

"Everyone just sits around and eats. We're all going to get high cholesterol..."

* * *

"Hello?" Summer Roberts answered the phone. 

"Hey Sum. Gotta question."

"Shoot Coop."

"Wanna cruise to the Caribbean next week?"

"Interesting question. With who?"

"Me, my dad, Ryan and the Cohens."

"Coop! You know how I'm avoiding Cohen."

"Cause you kissed? Please, your protecting yourself from stripping off your clothes and begging."

"Am not."

"Not begging or not coming?"

"Neither."

Marissa sighed. Summer could be so difficult when she wanted to be. "Fine. I could just ask Anna. I'm sure she'd jump at the chance to be alone on Caribbean beaches with Seth..."

"Fine!" Summer shouted. "I'll come. You bitch."

Marissa laughed. "Start packing sweetie. We leave in two days."

* * *

Kristen finally lost her temper. "Seth. This is a family vacation for us and Jimmy. I think this isn't about the cruise. I think you're just upset that Summer has avoided you since the kiss." 

Seth looked horrified. "How did you know?"

Kirsten smiled despite herself. "I have my connections." At that minute the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey Jimmy."

There was a long pause. "Of course not." said Kirsten when she finally spoke. "We'd love it."

"Right. See you at the docks."

She hung up the phone and looked at Seth, a smirk toying on her face. "Well speak of the devil. It looks like Marissa invited Summer to come with us."

"I'll start packing now." Seth said, turning on his heel and heading toward his room. He skipped over the threshold, much to the dismay of Ryan, who was sitting on the bed.

"Seth?"

"Yea?"

"Don't skip. Ever again."

"Oh, but I have a justified reason for said skipping."

"What's that?"

"Your amazingly wonderful girlfriend invited her even more amazingly wonderful hot best friend on the cruise."

Ryan grinned. "Still no skipping."


	2. The Art Of Anticipation

Title: Artistically Speaking  
  
Chapter Title: The Art Of Anticipation  
  
Author(s); Sara and Lizzie  
  
Disclaimer: The O.C.? Very much not ours.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: After Seth and Summer kissed at Caleb's party, the Cohens decide to take Jimmy and Marissa on a cruise through the Caribbean Islands. Seth doesn't even want to go until Marissa invites Summer.....  
  
"Maybe we can find a new way. Or create another great cliche." -Mae  
  
Summer had never been on a cruise before. Summer had never lost her control over a boy before. Summer had never been in love before. No stop it, she corrected herself. Love equals pain. Love? Never. That was her philosophy.  
  
"You know what?" she said out loud. "I'm not even interested in Seth Cohen."  
  
"That leaves the question of why you're packing the sexiest clothing you own." Said Marissa leaning on the doorframe with a bemused expression on her face.  
  
Summer blushed and stuck her middle finger in the air. "Shut up Coop." Marissa laughed, taking the hand of Ryan whom sauntered up behind her.  
  
He took in the hurricane of clothes littering Summer's room. "You're still packing?" he asked, looking horrified.  
  
Marissa turned to him. "Yea. It's a process. She's weeding out her hottest clothes because there's absolutely no one she wants to impress."  
  
Ryan pretended to look thoughtful. "Hmm.. that sounds sort of familiar. It sounds like maybe Seth could have just skipped into his room and started agonizing over the prospect of having a week and a half alone with you..."  
  
"Not that Summer wants him."  
  
"Right." Ryan agreed. "Not that Seth cares."  
  
Summer threw a long sleeve polo shirt that she had deemed not revealing enough at them. "I kind of liked it better when you two were all depressed over your angst ridden romance. Somebody call Luke. I can't take you two when you're happy."  
  
"Lighten up Sum. You know you want him. I don't see what the big deal is." Marissa said.  
  
Of course you don't see the big deal. Summer thought. You've got Ryan. When she was with Luke, Marissa was so into the popular scene and her reputation. Now she just didn't care anymore. And it wasn't necessarily what people would think of her and Cohen that was stopping Summer. It was more of her track record with boys.  
  
The only thing she knew was getting used. And hurt. But if she convinced herself in the beginning that she was only using back, it hurt less... but..  
  
"Earth to Summer!" Marissa called, waving her hands. "Any chance you're almost ready?" Summer nodded and closed both of suitcases, smirked and handed them to Ryan.  
  
"Make yourself useful, Atwood." She said.

* * *

The night before the cruise, Seth couldn't sleep. A week ago he would have called himself stupid. He had no chance with Summer Roberts, not now, not ever. But how the tide had turned.  
  
She had felt something when they kissed, he was sure of it. It was in the way she sighed as her lips left his and in the way that even in that short kiss, her hand had wrapped itself in his hair.  
  
He was not going to let Summer walk away. Not back to the guys that wanted her body and not her. This was it.

* * *

Summer, who was sleeping at Marissa's the night before the trip couldn't sleep either. She tried to pretend she was dreading the trip, but she couldn't fool herself. Excitement was coursing through her. More than anything, she wanted Cohen's lips on hers again.  
  
She smiled to herself in the darkness. It was going to be one hell of a trip. 


	3. The Art Of Avoidance

Title: Artistically Speaking  
  
Chapter Title: The Art Of  
  
Author(s); Sara and Lizzie  
  
Disclaimer: The O.C.? Very much not ours.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: After Seth and Summer kissed at Caleb's party, the Cohens decide to take Jimmy and Marissa on a cruise through the Caribbean Islands. Seth doesn't even want to go until Marissa invites Summer.....  
  
"I'll tell you just how good it can be." –The 88  
  
Summer was in Marissa's bathroom when she heard the bright, cheery voice of Kirsten Cohen.  
  
"Sorry to wake you Julie. But instead of picking the girls up, Jimmy is just going to meet us at the docks. I thought the kids could all ride together."  
  
She heard Coop say something. Then Kirsten told them both to come over as soon as they were ready.  
  
Summer closed her eyes. She was torn between wanting to avoid Cohen and wanting to kiss him. She sighed. Being rich and privileged could be tough sometimes.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Summer was walking up the Cohen's driveway. She didn't see Coop or Ryan anywhere. She looked at the SUV that was taking the four teenagers to Los Angeles. A smile played across her lips as she saw Sandy gesturing at a map.  
  
"The highlighted area is where you bear left. Left."  
  
Seth rolled his eyes. "The color key informs me of that Dad." Summer heard him say. He raised his brown eyes from the map and they met hers. She smirked and made her way over to the car.  
  
Summer opened the front door and threw her bag on the seat. She had already figured out that Ryan and Marissa were planning on leaving her up front with Cohen. Whatever. She walked into the house, trying to pretend she wasn't looking forward to the trip.  
  
Coop and Ryan were drinking orange juice and eating muffins at the kitchen table, and she had zero desire to join the happy couple for breakfast, so she walked outside by the massive pool.  
  
A sigh escaped her lips. It struck her as ironic, that she, Summer Roberts, who never committed, and never lost control was drowning in Seth Cohen. She turned around to go back inside, and met Seth's eyes as he looked out the window over the sink. He raised his eyebrows and looked away.  
  
Summer realized that Seth might be doing a little avoiding of his own.  
  
And he was. At least he was trying. When she slid through the doors to his kitchen he sat down at the table with Ryan and Marissa and barely glanced her way. He grabbed a muffin and took a minute to be proud of his own willpower.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, they were packed in the car, with enough luggage for three months. Seth tossed Summer a case of CD's.  
  
"Play something." He said with a smile.  
  
She felt herself smile as she looked down through the choices. She barely recognized any of the bands. Cohen and his stupid emo. She finally pulled out a CD she recognized and handed it to Cohen. He eyed it.  
  
"Rumors." He said appreciatively. "I'm surprised you've heard of Fleetwood Mac."  
  
Summer grinned. "I'm very unpredictable." She was shocked at the suggestion she heard in her own voice.  
  
Seth turned his eyes back to the road, but she could see he was grinning. Without thinking she rested her hand on his neck and traced her fingers down his spine. She felt him shiver, and then she pulled away.  
  
Avoiding. Right.

* * *

In the back seat, Marissa rolled her eyes. Pretty soon Summer would start talking about great she was at driving stick shift, and the next thing, they'd crash. Ew. Not that she wanted to think about that.  
  
Marissa sighed, and Ryan squeezed her hand in understanding. She didn't understand why Summer let herself get used by any water polo player, then couldn't even talk to the first guy that actually cared about her. Marissa smiled. He might even love her.  
  
She might even love him back. Not that she'd ever admit it. 


	4. The Art Of Action

Title: Artistically Speaking  
  
Chapter Title: The Art Of  
  
Author(s); Sara and Lizzie  
  
Disclaimer: The O.C.? Very much not ours.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: After Seth and Summer kissed at Caleb's party, the Cohens decide to take Jimmy and Marissa on a cruise through the Caribbean Islands. Seth doesn't even want to go until Marissa invites Summer.....  
  
"She said don't, don't let it go to your head." –Taking Back Sunday  
  
It was weird. That was the only way Summer could describe it. She was standing on the deck of a massive cruise ship, watching Los Angeles fade away into open sea, with Seth Cohen leaning over the rail beside her.  
  
She watched him look at some pixie cut, blonde, Anna type. He swung his head back to her. "You may have some competition." He told her.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"The hottest girl here."  
  
She raised her eyebrows, surprised at how hurt she felt by that. How much she wanted him to think she was the best. "That was low Cohen."  
  
"Lower than pretending I don't exist?"  
  
Summer pressed her lips together. He had her there. She turned to face him, his hurt expression a mirror of her own.  
  
"I'm sorry." She whispered.  
  
Seth blinked. Gone was the usual sex kitten that she was, here was a vulnerable girl. "Are you really sorry, or are you just saying that to appease me, seeing as we're in the middle of the ocean together for the next ten days?"  
  
"I'm really sorry." She said, her voice even softer.  
  
"Yea, me too." Seth said. She met his eyes, struck by the emotion she saw in them. She smiled.  
  
"Do you really think she's hotter than me?"  
  
Seth grinned. "Not even close."  
  
Summer smiled her coy smile, leaned in and kissed him. She regarded, again with surprise, the way Seth kissed her back. She liked it. A lot.  
  
They were still kissing when she heard a very loud coughing behind Cohen. They broke apart, and he spun around.  
  
"Mom." He said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Hi Seth, Summer."  
  
"Hi Mrs. Cohen."  
  
"Call me Kirsten. I have your room key. Marissa wanted you to unpack and get dressed for dinner."  
  
"Thanks." She squeaked, edging away. She glanced back through her hurried flight to the room she was sharing with Marissa to see Seth and Kirsten talking.  
  
Cohen was gesturing wildly. And Kirsten was standing there with all knowing smile. Summer grinned and touched her lips.

* * *

"Mom!" Seth exclaimed for the hundredth time since they had started the walk to the room he was sharing with Ryan. "I'm sure Marissa could have waited!"  
  
Kristen smiled. "So you could make out on the deck?"  
  
"Mom! Please!"  
  
She laughed this time. "That's so cute Seth."  
  
He stopped walking. "You think it's cute? In a positive way?" Without waiting for a response, he charged on. "Because I know all your friends think that she's a slut. But she's not, Mom. She's just so... frozen. She needs someone who really cares about her.." he broke off.  
  
Kirsten smiled, her mom smile this time. "I think it's cute." She repeated, firmer this time.  
  
They continued towards the boys room until Kirsten stopped walking. "Seth?"  
  
"Yea?"  
  
"You really like her don't you?"  
  
"Really, really. Since third grade."  
  
"Tonight for dinner, wear the new Lacoste polo I got you. It brings out your eyes."  
  
Seth grinned. "Thanks Mom."

* * *

Summer burst into the room in a flurry of noise, just in case Ryan was there. He wasn't, thank God.  
  
Marissa looked up from over her Kate Spade suitcase. "What's with you?"  
  
Summer leaned against the door. "I kissed him again." Marissa grinned. "I knew you would. And?"  
  
"Kirsten interrupted. With your message. Bitch."  
  
"How was I supposed to know you'd be kissing Cohen?"  
  
Summer grinned. "Please Coop. Why do you think I'm here?"  
  
"What are you doing with him Sum?"  
  
"Truth? I don't know. I like him. And it scares me."  
  
Marissa nodded. Somehow, she knew the feeling. She had felt something similar when she stopped loving Luke, and started loving Ryan.  
  
And since Summer hated vulnerability, it was probably worse for her. Marissa continued to unpack, willing herself not to push Summer.

* * *

Seth skipped into the room. Ryan looked up and groaned. "We had the chat about the skipping, didn't we?"  
  
Seth ignored him. "She kissed me."  
  
Ryan raised his eyebrows. "Again? Well what are you doing back here?"  
  
"Your girlfriend sent my mother with her room key. And my loving mother managed to interrupt us in the most non-romantic way possible."  
  
Ryan grinned at the image. "That's my girl."  
  
Seth was silent, while he threw stuff out of his suitcase and haphazardly into his drawers. "Ryan, what do you think? About me and Summer?"  
  
"I don't Seth. You've got your work cut out for you."  
  
"Yea. But so did you. With Marissa. And The Luke thing. How'd you do it?"  
  
Ryan grinned. "Sweet guy meets sexual tension."  
  
Seth winced. "Sorry I asked."  
  
"It's payback for the skipping."  
  
"Funny. Just for that, I'm showering before you." Seth said, disappearing into the bathroom.

* * *

Kirsten entered her room, and smiled excitedly at Sandy. "Your son is so cute!" she couldn't help but squeal.  
  
"He looks like me, that's why." Sandy offered.  
  
Kirsten rolled her eyes. "Summer kissed him again. Sandy, he just adores her."  
  
"Don't even think about it."  
  
"I wasn't."  
  
"You were. You love to match make."  
  
"I haven't done a thing. Except inform our son what shirt he should wear to dinner."  
  
Sandy rolled his eyes and smiled. "On second thought, maybe he gets the cute from you."  
  
Kirsten grinned. "You know he does." 


End file.
